Prayer: Give us life, Lord. Give us love. Give us peace. Amen.
Reading: Ezekiel 37 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: A few years ago, as part of our camp stuff study of this Bible passage, our chaplain to the staff, Jim Bricker, asked the staff to write a parody song based on the camp song, Dem Bones. We share it here today. CHORUS: Dem bones gonna rise again. I know it, know it. Indeed I know it brother, I know it, whee! Dem bones gonna rise again. God walked through a desert with nothing to give (Dem bones gonna rise again) He asked me, “Son, can these bones live?” (Dem bones gonna rise again) CHORUS I said to Him from down below (Dem bones gonna rise again) “Sovereign Lord, only you know.” (Dem bones gonna rise again) CHORUS Dry bones now hear the good Lord’s Word (Dem bones gonna rise again) Skin, tendons and flesh to you I’ll afford (Dem bones gonna rise again) CHORUS A rattling sound came up from the ground (Dem bones gonna rise again) But the bones they still weren’t dancing around (Dem bones gonna rise again) CHORUS But the bones and air still needed to meet (Dem bones gonna rise again) And the breath came down and they stood up on their feet. (Dem bones gonna rise again) CHORUS
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Prayer: Thank you for being on our side and loving us through many hardships. Help us to trust in your love for us. Amen.
Reading: Romans 8:31-36 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I am a pleaser. I spend far too much energy worrying about what other people think of me. We all know by now that the age of social media only highlights such insecurities. Although I try to treat everyone as neighbor, in reality there are always going to be people who don’t like me. Sometimes even those thought of as friends can be less than kind. What a reassurance it is then to read Paul’s words to the Romans. If God is for us, who can be against us? How can we be judged by our fellow human, who is just as flawed as we are? Jesus intercedes for us, and no earthly hardship will ever separate us from that love. That is more valuable than any number of “likes.” --Erin Hayes Prayer: Gracious and loving God – thank you. I am not worthy or righteous but through you I am justified and forgiven. Help me be loving and accepting of all, just as you are. Amen.
Reading: Romans 3: 19-28 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: We are justified by grace through faith. That is quite a mouth full. As I look at the scripture, I see themes of everyone being equal and that we all fall short and sin. We all are under the law and none of us are perfect. God, through Jesus, has saved us all. It is a gift for everyone. Some chose to believe it, and others do not. It is not our place to say someone is unworthy of it because no one is worthy of God’s grace. It is a gift. We cannot do anything to gain God’s love and we cannot do anything to lose God’s love. We are to live our lives as loving beings because God first loved us. --Charlene Rineer We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on September 20, 2019.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your never-ending presence when we find ourselves lost or in trouble. May we always turn to you when needing refuge and strength. Help us to be still and trust that you are a good God. Amen. Reading: Psalm 46 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: We sing a song at camp called “Be Still and Know That I Am God,” and we often sing it as an introduction at campfire on Sunday nights as a way to start building a community that includes all campers. After the chorus, which includes a lot of clapping and quotes verse 10, “be still and know that I am God…” (if you are frequent visitor of camp, I am sure you just sang that in your head), everyone is instructed to have some sort of interaction with other campers and staff members. The verses usually include fun ice breakers like, “all you gotta do is shake someone else’s hand…” After working at camp for four summers and being a camper for even more, while reading this Psalm I immediately think of the camp song, but after more reflection I thought that the song really doesn’t seem to fit the Psalm. Verse 1 talks of God being our refuge and an ever-present help in trouble, and in verse 10 it tells the reader to be still. This camp song doesn’t ask us to be still at all, it is actually the opposite. But what if being still can mean something different. What if being still means stilling your mind of worry and apprehension when in a new or troublesome situation and just going with the flow? What if being still means trusting God and meeting that new person or two, asking questions when you feel lost, and humbling yourself to allow God and others to help you? --Anne Harshbarger Prayer: Dear God, the days are surely coming when you will establish your kingdom. May we live each day along the way knowing your love and your forgiveness, living your love and forgiveness. Amen
Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Our text today is a promise of days surely coming when God will establish the promised kingdom over the whole earth. Once again, something perhaps hard to comprehend. How will it happen? By God’s word written within; God’s love written on hearts. All will know God; from least to greatest. The days are surely coming. They are here. Each day as we forgive and love as God’s people. --Ruth Gates Reading: The Canticle of Creation by St. Francis of Assisi O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honor and all blessing. Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation and especially for our Brother Sun, who brings us the day and the light; he is strong and shines magnificently. O Lord, we think of you when we look at him. Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon, and for the stars which you have set shining and lovely in the heavens. Be praised, my Lord, for our Brothers Wind and Air and every kind of weather by which you, Lord, uphold life in all your creatures. Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water, who is very useful to us, and humble and precious and pure. Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire, through whom you give us light in the darkness: he is bright and lively and strong. Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us, bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colors. Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you; and for those who bear sickness and weakness in peace and patience - you will grant them a crown. Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death, whom we must all face. I praise and bless you, Lord, and I give thanks to you, and I will serve you in all humility. Reflection: Every year for over thirty years my family has vacationed in Taughannock Falls State Park outside Ithaca, NY. Having lived in Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Berlin, and now Pennsylvania, in many ways Taughannock Falls State Park has been the one constant place of my life. For a week or two each summer, we rent a shabby cabin (four cots and a fridge, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s), swim in Cayuga Lake, sit by the campfire, and walk the riverbed up to the 215' tall Taughannock Falls. Taughannock is where I first felt, and continue to feel, my deepest connections to nature. Whenever I step in the sun-warmed waters of Taughannock Creek or watch the sun set over Cayuga Lake or walk the wooded trails around the park, I catch a sense of something old and deep and mysterious. Maybe it's just my childhood imagination resurfacing, reminding me of all the dragons and hobbits I encountered in those woods as a boy. Or maybe it's what C. S. Lewis called the "deeper magic." In his fantasy story The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the lion Asian knows of a deeper magic, one that can overcome the deep magic of the evil witch whose wintry magic has taken over the fantastic land of Narnia. The deeper magic is the creative force that brought the universe into existence and continues working to redeem and restore all of creation. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the deeper magic saves Narnia. In our world, we might simply call that deeper magic "God." The deeper magic, that feeling that there is something bigger than ourselves, something mysterious and wonderful and maybe even dangerous, infuses all of creation. Sometimes we can sense it when we spend time out in creation. We modern folk have come to see creation as a resource to be exploited, as subservient to humanity. But the Bible says otherwise. All creation, the trees and birds and rivers and mountains, plays an active role in praising God (Isaiah 55:12) and even has a share in eternal life and redemption (Romans 8:21). That great lover of creation, St. Francis of Assisi, would even go on to claim that all the creatures of creation are our brothers and sisters because all creatures (whether animal, plant, rock, water, or fire) are children of God, created by God. To paraphrase theologian Richard Rohr, if God is in everything, then everything is sacred. Creation therefore is not to be exploited but protected like a sacred brother or sister. Creation has a lot to tell us about our Creator. Creation's awesome beauty, its terrifying power, its delicate gentleness all teach us a little bit more about God. All creation reflects God and God is in all creation; that's why we can sense God, that deeper magic, when we go for a walk in the woods. So here, in the midst of this hot summer weather, take some time to be out in nature. Whether you walk a trail, listen to the roar of a waterfall, sit by a lake, or gaze at the stars, spend some time in creation. Open your heart to the deeper magic. --Jim Vitale Prayer: Show us the way, Lord, as we sit by the roadside and cry out for your mercy. Open our eyes, Jesus. Help us to see. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10: 46-52 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: And it was so. Those words came to mind when I read our story today as Jesus heals the blindman. Bart was just there, sitting by the road, when he called out to our Lord. “Have mercy on me,” he cried out. He said it again. And Jesus came and gave him sight. Jesus said to Bart that his faith had made him well and that he should open his eyes and see. And it was so. What can Jesus take away from our eyes so we can see him more clearly? What can Jesus make so for us, if we just ask? --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Dear God, help us remember Jesus gave his life once for all – every part of his being – one time – for everyone…forever. Thank you. Amen
Reading: Hebrews 7: 23-28 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Wrapping my head around what is in these five verses is just a bit too much and yet the bottom-line message is “once for all”. That’s it. Once for all. So, perhaps I’ll stop trying to understand completely. That may come in time and that time comes one day at a time remembering Jesus gave his life one time. Every part of his being. Once. For me. For everyone. Forever. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Lord of Joy, Even on my darkest days help me to remember the great things that you have done. Amen.
Reading: Psalm 126 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: A dear friend of mine had a bad first marriage. She got out, but she admits that she was in a dark place for some time afterwards. Because of the divorce, she moved back in with her parents, and through them she met a wonderful man. He is kind, supportive, and an excellent match for her. They were married and were surprised and delighted to find themselves expecting. They now have a beautiful, healthy, baby girl. A Harvest of Joy. My friend says that as difficult as the journey was, she would go through it again, knowing how the story turns out. It's difficult to see, when we are sowing in tears, what joy will come. Sometimes on our darkest days, it’s hard to imagine that our mouths will ever be filled with laughter again. We must trust that the Lord has done and will continue to do great things for us. When, in your life, has a difficult time or a setback ultimately led to happiness? A harvest of joy, indeed. -Erin Hayes We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on December 28, 2000. Heather wrote about what this new year would be like. It’s interesting to look back now ten months into 2021 and see where we are!
Prayer: Creator, shepherd, and mothering God, bring us together. Gather your children so that we might praise you with happiness and thanksgiving. Amen. Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther’s GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: This has been a really tough year. Coronavirus, the contentious elections, too many cases of injustice and prejudice, hurt and divisions, (fill in the blank). The sense of being lost and scattered in this passage is easy to relate to. The holidays did not look or feel like those of the past. How many jokes did you used to hear complaining about the traditional Christmas parties and unavoidable visits with relatives? But in 2020, friends could not gather. No office parties. Families had to make do with a Zoom screen or a phone call. But once again, God assures things will get better. And absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I think for many people, this year has been a lesson in reassessing what matters most in our lives. Family. Friendships. Hugs. Time. I have heard of grand parties being planned, road trips to reconnect with far-flung loved ones, reunions to make up for postponed celebrations. Here is to 2021! I look forward to a new year with the hope of revitalized relationships, community healing, and a little more of God’s will being lived on earth as it is in heaven. --Heather Wolf Prayer: Dear God, we come to you honestly with how we feel. Thank you for listening. Lead us to contentment in your love. Amen
Reflection: I am reading a book by a contemporary musician about his life, experiences and philosophies. Some of his narratives are a bit crude. But sometimes life is crude and hard even as we try to sweeten and soften it. A friend uses the exclamation, “O boulder!” I asked him what he meant. He replied, “It’s the biggest dam(n) I know.” Sometimes from those who’ve suffered most come thoughts and observations that are profoundly revealing and humbling. One that has stayed with me is from someone who struggled much. He counted his blessings and his disappointments and simply observed, “I have no complaints.” --Alice Yeakel Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for all you have given us. Let us be forever grateful. Let us remember we are here to share your love and serve others. Let us not worry about honor and glory. Help us strive to be like Jesus. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10:35-45 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: As I read the text for today I think that John and James had some nerve to ask to be seated in the seats of honor beside Jesus. I would have been like the rest of the disciples and would have been quite angry. Jesus as usual has a response that makes the disciples think - which I think is very helpful. Any good teacher needs to have the knowledge to impart, but also needs to get their students to think on their own. Jesus’ response talks of baptism, communion, and serving others. To be great one must be wiling to serve others. I think all great leaders must be able to get down in the trenches with those they are leading. At camp no one is too great to clean a bathroom. I fell that a leader should not ask anyone to do something that they are not willing to do themselves. Let us not squabble over who is greater then one another, but let us serve one another as Jesus served those around him. --Charlene Rineer We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on October 14, 2015.
Prayer: As we serve others, be our guide, dear Lord. Amen. Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: This week, we’ve been looking at being a servant. We talked about how when you are a servant, you should expect no recognition for your deeds. We also talked about how as a Christian servant, we still should be growing in our own faith so that we can be strong to serve others. Another important asked of servanthood is that is a calling from God. That’s my takeaway from our scripture reading for today. We are called by God to serve others. Just as we are called to our vocations, avocations, being parents, spouses, children, and the like, we are also called to be servants. As Children of God, perhaps this is our greatest calling. Asking our fellow humans, “How can I serve you?” is one of the greatest things we can do. Have you heard of the story of the White House worker who greeted Jackie Kennedy following her husband’s assassination. His words to her were simply, “How can I serve you?” In those simple words, she knew that he was sympathetic to what she was going through and wanted to help. He wanted to serve. Who are the people that you will ask this question today? What will you do to serve others today? How can I serve you? --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your promise to be with us always. I don’t need to have all this world. Just give me Jesus. Amen
Reading: Psalm 91: 9-16 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Those who have read many of my devotions know I have a way of connecting songs to just about anything and everything. And I have a way of remembering the words to those songs. All the words. To all the songs. Psalm 91 is an assurance of God’s protection. God is with us. Always. What else do we need? The song that comes to mind is, “Give Me Jesus.” and as I try to recall the words, I realize there aren’t many. In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus. When I am alone, give me Jesus. When I come to die, give me Jesus. You can have all this world (and all the words to all the songs) but give me Jesus. That’s all we really need. Listen here: https://youtu.be/9rZ8k9m2hwo --Ruth Gates Prayer: Thank you for your wonderful gift of grace, O Lord. Help us to be servants for you, proclaiming your Word to the corners of the earth.
Reading: Isaiah 53: 4-12 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: The prophet Isaiah is foreshadowing Jesus in this passage. It’s a passage that may sound familiar as its words were put to music by Handel in Messiah. We often hear these words during Holy Week. We are reminded of the sacrifice of our Lord and the pain he bared to save the world. What does this passage mean for you on this day? Does it remind you of God’s grace? How will respond? --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Dear God, as we search for lost things, may we remember to search for you. May be the same place. Amen
Reading: Amos 5: 6-7 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: To make a long story short, when I lose something the first place I’m going to look is the church. Twice I lost my checkbook there; then my car keys. The church is God’s house where we go to formally worship Him. I’ve also come to think of it somewhere I go when I am lost and also when I have lost something. The church is more than a house. It is especially a place of God’s presence though God is everywhere. In humble, searching prayers, we find God and God finds us. I just remembered about a year ago I lost my custom made face mask decorated with music notes. Guess where I found it? Your guess was close. It was outside the church on top of a pile of raked up leaves. God is always nearby. --Alice Yeakel Prayer: Lord, help us live in the good of resurrection. Help us to join with the witnesses of the resurrection in spreading the good news of Christ who died, was buried and rose on the third day. Help us to serve our Risen Lord!
Reading: Mark 10: 17-31 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: In this story, you have to really remember some context. Jesus hadn’t been crucified yet. We have the advantage of reading his and the disciples’ words with the knowledge of the crucifixion and resurrection. But that was not part of the disciples’ reality. So, yes, it’s hard to get to heaven when you have money, possessions, etc. But not if you know God, through Jesus Christ. Christ did the great deed of dying for us. Now we can go to heaven and spend eternity with God. Isn’t that good news? --Chad Hershberger Prayer: May your Word be active and living in our lives, Lord, and may we spread that Word to others. Amen.
Reading: Hebrews 4: 12-16 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: The beginning of this passage reminds us that God’s Word is living and active. When I read that statement, I immediately thought of camp. One of the things that I feel we do well here is making God’s Word come to life for campers. We act out the stories, we look at how they are connected to our lives today, and we do creative activities that are interactive to make the stories come off the pages of scripture. How does God’s Word come alive to you? I’d be interested to hear about your experiences and maybe we could do something similar at camp to make God’s Word living and active. --Chad Hershberger We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on September 21, 2013.
Prayer: God, help us remember that yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift from you, that is why it is called the present. Help us to use this gift. Amen. Reading: Psalm 90: 12-17 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: So, what can one do to live in the present? Well one thing is that when you find yourself thinking about the past or the future, stop and remind yourself to live for the moment. You can also start appreciating the small things if you don't already do so. Take time out to smell the flowers, so to speak. You can also remind yourself if you are in a "worrying about the future" mode that we don't have any reason to fear the future. Jesus died and rose from the dead so our sins would be forgiven, and we would be given eternal life. We don't have anything to fear about the future because as chosen children of God, our future is secure. But I think the most effective way to live for the present is to approach life as a child. I once had the realization that children always live for the moment. I was playing with some small children, and I lost all sense of time. I couldn't believe how fast the time passed. I had a blast playing with them and did not worry about what had happened that day or what was happening in the coming days. I later realized that children have no sense of time and very little past to ponder. It is as we get older, days go together, and life gets monotonous. Children also trust their parents. They do what their parents say and need them for support and guidance. If we remember that God is our Father and truly act like God's children, we too will live for the present. If we approach life in a childlike way, every day can be a new adventure given to us by God, our Father. --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Lord, when we seek you we find life. Be with us through our days and guide our hearts to you. Amen
Reading: Amos 5: 6-7 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I don’t know why, but I am really good at finding things. “It’s never really lost until mom can’t find it.” is something my family says. And every time I find a lost thing I say, “I get a quarter!” Yet, one of my favorite songs is U2’s, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Unpacking that song is more than I will get into here. So, just this thought: As our text today says, Seek the Lord and live. (Amos 5: 6a), know there is life in searching. So, keep searching. What are you looking for? Amos was talking to a people who squandered there chances. Let us seek the Lord and live. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Abba, guard me and guide me in your ways. Let me never take for granted the significance of my salvation. Help me to remember what it would be like if I didn’t know you. Help me to teach others of your enduring love. Amen.
Reading: Psalm 34: 9-14 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Most of us know that the vocabulary of the Old Testament is a little different from today’s dictionary definitions. The word “fear” here probably denotes more a deeply respectful awe of the Lord and His capacity to care and love us beyond human comprehension. As His disciples, we know that He is there for us. We can’t earn it; we don’t deserve it; yet He meets our every need. In fact, we need fear nothing, not even death. Yet, consider how fear can add to our understanding of the profound grace of God in our common call to serve God and His creation? Because we know God, we can trust in salvation. But what if we didn’t have His Word? Because God so loved the world, He allowed His only son to die for our sins. What if that Good News was unknown? The Holy Spirit informs our faith, leads us from temptation, guides our discipleship. To contemplate life without that abounding love and forgiveness – grace – is a scary thought indeed! So, understanding the fear of not knowing God can help us as disciples to reach others with compassion. When we leave worship, we promise to “Go in peace” and “Serve the Lord.” Proclaiming our faith with clarity and strength is one way to love our neighbors as ourselves, with empathy and in relationship with God and each other. --Heather LeBlanc |
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